[HLA and associated diseases--progress in molecular biology].

HLA genes and their products are of central importance for the development of autoimmune diseases. HLA antigens influence the immune repertoire of T cells and therefore all immune responses are HLA dependent. Research in molecular genetics have helped to identify both HLA genes and specific T cell clones involved in autoimmune reactions, which create possibilities of immune intervention.

Clinical significance of isometric bite force versus electrical activity in temporal and masseter muscles.

Bite force and activity in temporal and masseter muscles during biting and chewing were recorded in 19 control subjects and 23 subjects with symptoms and signs of functional disorders of the craniomandibular system. The entire group comprised 13 men and 29 women, 14-63 yr of age. Maximal unilateral bite force was 480 Newton (N) in control subjects and 387 N in patients, with corresponding bilateral values of 347 N and 230 N.

Rheumatoid synovial fluid reconstitutes the B-cell defect in CBA/N mice.

Synovial fluid from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA-SF) contains a biological activity which can replace T cells for activation of antibody secretion in human blood lymphoid cells and which can also induce the selective differentiation of IgG2b-secreting cells in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-pre-activated mouse spleen cells. The B-cell activity of this factor was studied in CBA/N mice which have an X-linked B-cell immunodeficiency which manifests itself as a defective humoral response to certain thymus-independent antigens (TI-2). RA-SF has now been shown to reconstitute partly the B-cell deficiency in CBA/N splenic B cells in vitro.

Synovial fluid from rheumatoid arthritis patients induces polyclonal antibody formation in vivo.

Our previous studies demonstrated the presence of a T-cell replacing factor in the synovial fluid (SF) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and that RA-SF can activate, selectively, the induction of IgG2b antibody secreting cells in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-pretreated mouse spleen cell cultures. In the present study the effect of RA-SF was tested in vivo in mice. Injection of the polyclonal activator LPS induced the production of IgM and IgG3 secreting cells in normal mice.

[Soft tissue tumors, particularly intramuscular lipomas].

The pathology, clinical features and treatment of intramuscular lipomata are reviewed on the basis of two case reports. The intramuscular lipoma is a benign tumour which feels hard on contraction of the muscle involved in comparison to ordinary lipomata.

Primarily chronic progressive and relapsing/remitting multiple sclerosis: two immunogenetically distinct disease entities.

HLA class II gene polymorphism was investigated in 100 patients with clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS) by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of Taq I-digested DNA using DRB, DQA, and DQB cDNA probes. Twenty-six patients had primarily chronic progressive MS and 74 had relapsing/remitting MS. The latter group included patients with a secondary progressive evolution of symptoms.

Individuals with HLA-DR blank alleles display well-known DR-DQ RFLPs.

We have characterized HLA-DRB, -DQA, and -DQB gene polymorphism in a large number of serologically DR blank haplotypes with the restriction enzymes Taq I, Bam HI, and Pvu II, with the aim of finding new RFLPs in the Caucasian population. Locus-specific RFLPs were combined for a definition of Taq I DR-DQ haplotypes. All observed DNA haplotypes could be found in a control group of 100 individuals, but with a different distribution.

[Fetal systolic time intervals. A non-invasive parameter for assessing the intrauterine condition of the fetus].

Various methods are employed in obstetric prophylaxis and treatment to assess the intrauterine condition of the foetus. The systolic time-intervals appear to be a promising new method because they reflect the contractility of the foetal heart which is a reflection of various physiological factors indluding hypoxia and asphyxia. Monitoring of the foetal systolic time intervals is therefore a more sensitive parameter of cardiac function than the foetal heart rate alone.

Specificity of HLA restricting elements for human nickel reactive T cell clones.

In order to study the fine specificity of HLA class II restriction, we have established nickel specific T cell clones from a nickel allergic patient. Cells were cloned by limiting dilution after primary stimulation and selection of nickel specific blasts. Several clones were established which were all shown to carry the CD4 marker.

[Online patent searching--rapid responses to critical questions].

Online searching in publically available patent files opens up interesting possibilities to provide a rapid response to critical questions. A computerized analysis of all patents of leading German pharmaceutical companies over the last decade in important indication areas is described. Supported by subsequent manual processing of individual patents it is shown that duplicate experiments on animals practically never occur.

Survival and immunogenicity of dissociated allogeneic fetal neural dopamine-rich grafts when implanted into the brains of adult mice.

The survival of grafts of dissociated allogeneic fetal neural dopamine (DA) rich tissue in the striatum has been studied after transplantation between inbred strains of mice differing at defined immunogenetical loci between donor and recipient. Six to 7 weeks and 15 weeks after grafting, surviving grafted DA neurons were found in the brains of all the recipients, albeit with a large variation in numbers, located either within the striatum or within the adjacent lateral ventricle. The mean number of surviving DA neurons did not differ between the syngeneic controls and the histoincompatible donor-host combinations, and there was no difference in survival between grafts that differed at single or multiple major histocompatibility complex (MHC) loci, and those that differed at multiple non-MHC loci.

Lymphocyte transformation by grass pollen allergens: a study of atopic patients receiving immunotherapy. Part II. Patients during maintenance treatment.

We have previously reported on peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) transformation by allergen, PPD as a control antigen and PHA as a mitogen during and after a preseasonal immunotherapy period. The present report describes similar parameters during and after the ensuing maintenance treatment period. Ten patients with grass pollen rhinitis were treated with Allpyral extract and 10 with Conjuvac two-grass mixture.

HLA-B27: an important genetic risk factor for lone aortic regurgitation and severe conduction system abnormalities.

Purpose: HLA-B27, an immunogenetic marker that is present in 8 percent of the white population around the world, has been found to be an important risk factor for the development of a group of rheumatic disorders, the seronegative spondyloarthropathies. Our objective was to assess the possible role of HLA-B27 and the associated inflammatory disease process in the development of lone aortic regurgitation.

Patients And Methods: A group of 91 patients with lone aortic regurgitation were studied by HLA typing and clinical and roentgenologic examination.

Expression of B220 antigen on an interleukin 4- and interleukin 5-producing T-cell line.

The murine T-cell line 2.19, originally used for cloning of interleukin 4 (IL-4) and IL-5, was analysed for surface marker characteristics using monoclonal antibodies and a FACS-4 analyser and found to be positive for the B220 antigen. Thus, this lymphokine-producing cell with characteristic T-cell markers expresses an antigen earlier thought to be specific for B cells.

Biological characterization of T cell-replacing factor in the synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

The synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) contains a biologically active factor which has the ability to replace T cells for the induction of antibody secretion by human blood lymphoid cells stimulated by pokeweed mitogen (PWM) in vitro. This factor, which will be referred to as RA-SF (synovial fluid), also has the capacity to act as a B cell-stimulatory factor of mouse splenic lymphocytes in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Using a test system developed for the definition of interleukin 4 (IL-4), which is a B cell-stimulating lymphokine which preferentially activates the synthesis of selected Ig classes in mouse lymphoid cells, we have shown that RA-SF has properties similar to IL-4 in that it induces differentiation of antibody secretion in the LPS-pretreated mouse cell, but unlike IL-4, which gives IgG1 and IgE, it selectively induces IgG2b synthesis.

Occlusal harmony and disharmony: frauds in clinical dentistry?

In defining the principles of occlusal function it is possible to demonstrate how firmly the number, the placement and the distribution of occlusal contacts control muscle activity and joint function during biting and chewing. This control implies that the intercuspal position is determined by positive feedback, that is by afferent activity that varies with occlusal stability. Conventional dental treatment involving occlusal surfaces alters this input and consequently alters the coordination of the muscles of mastication and the function of the temporomandibular joints.

A DR4-associated DR-DQ haplotype is significantly associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

Forty-three patients with seropositive, erosive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 24 members of 5 RA multicase families were studied for HLA class II gene polymorphism, using restriction fragment analysis with complementary DNA probes for DR beta and DQ beta chains. This method generates HLA-DR-DQ haplotypes that are highly correlated with HLA-DR serology. Thirty-five of the 43 RA patients (81%) were positive for one or for both of the DR4-associated DR-DQ haplotypes, 4.